+
upworthy
Pop Culture

'Bluey' creators have perfect response after 'Exercise' episode sparks concern from parents

Several claimed the episode perpetuated harmful messages about exercise and body weight.

bluey, bluey exercise
@laceyjadechristie/TikTok

Bandit, Bluey's dad, laments his weight and says he needs to exercise.

The Australian kids' cartoon “Bluey” is pretty universally loved by young and old audiences alike. People appreciate the show’s unique way of blending wholesome humor with mundane or even difficult situations in a way that feels both mature and whimsical.

On a recent “Bluey” episode titled “Exercise,” Bluey’s father, Bandit, becomes disappointed after stepping on the bathroom scale, grabbing his tummy and declaring he needs to start exercising.

"Oh man...I just need to do some exercise," Bandit laments.

"Tell me about it," Bluey's mother, Chilli, chimes in before stepping on the scale herself and shares a similar reaction to her own numbers.


Responses to the episode were mixed. Many viewers in Australia who watched the episode expressed concern that it subliminally sent some toxic messages around body weight—in particular, the message of equating exercise with losing weight rather than overall health.

@laceyjadechristie I have so many thoughts about this scene and I am so interested To see what you think. #bluey #fatshaming #bodypositivity #fatliberation #parenting ♬ original sound - Lacey-Jade Christie

One viewer wrote on Twitter: “I adore @OfficialBlueyTV & the messages it sends [but] watching Bandit stand on a scale & squeeze his belly, frowning, sends a msg to kids that fat = bad & exercise = weight loss. V upsetting.”

Some felt that the show merely reflected an honest part of parenting and that the backlash was unwarranted.

“I am a parent and I felt really seen by this—your body changing after kids because you don’t have the time or energy to exercise like before.”

Still, a few actual health professionals chimed to affirm how the scene could be problematic. Over on Instagram, pediatric dietitian Dr. Kyla Ringrose explained that while she loved the show for being so relatable to parents, the show “missed a big opportunity” to teach kids the other more intrinsic benefits of exercise, rather than once again having ”trusted adults (albeit dogs!) expressing dissatisfaction with how their body looks. All bodies are good bodies.”

Ringrose added: “If this episode were remade so the first 30 seconds were about Bandit not having energy or Chilli feeling a bit flat, and they decide to get some movement in to feel well, I’d be all for it. @OfficialBlueyTv how about it?”

“Bluey” creators took notice of the complaints, and immediately revised the episode for both ABC (Australian Broadcast Corporation) and the BBC.

The new scene can be seen online thanks to generous souls on TikTok. The clip below, shared by “Bluey” enthusiast @AussieGirlMagic, shows a side-by-side comparison of the two versions. This time around, Bandit is seen simply whipping out the fitness mat and putting on the exercise playlist.

@aussiegirlmargie Ludo studios listened to HEALTH PROFESSIONALS and changed the Bluey episode Exercise from season 3 #bluey #blueytok #blueyseason3 #blueyexercise #disney #ludostudios #blueyheeler #banditheeler ♬ Bluey Theme Tune - Bluey

So far, many have applauded the decision, particularly those who had to grow up with their own issues around exercise that began with early messaging.

Here are a few comments from TikTok:

“I’m glad they did this, seeing my parents focusing so much on their body image as a kid really affected how I see my own.”

“Love to see it! I’m glad they were so receptive to the genuine concerns around health and wellness.”

“As someone with an ED, I’m really glad they made this decision.”

“This is great! Exercise should be motivated out of health and fun, not out of shame or fear of weight.”

Though this “Bluey” episode has yet to air in the U.S., it’s safe to assume that American audiences will be watching the edited version when that happens.

Sponsored

O Organics’ delicious, easy-to-cook homestyle spaghetti recipe helps feed America’s hungry

O Organics is donating a meal for every product purchased at Albertsons stores, up to 28 million meals.

Mei and Kyong and a delicious plate of spaghetti and meatballs.

True

When most people think about Korean cooking, they probably imagine the enticing aroma, colors, and flavors of a plate filled with kimchi and bulgogi or a hot bowl of bibimbap. But when cooking influencer Kyong reflects upon his childhood, he has fond memories of his Korean mother cooking him a delicious and easy-to-prepare spaghetti and meatballs recipe.

"My parents were busy running their dry-cleaning business and couldn't call off work or take long breaks like a traditional 9 to 5 job, so there wasn't a lot of time to cook,” he recalled. “So, my mom learned how to make quick-and-easy meals, and her spaghetti and meatballs were my favorites.”

Is there any better example of the American melting pot than a hard-working Korean mother cooking an Italian staple for her family?

Keep ReadingShow less
Family

People are helping a dad explain his 'cheap' grocery purchases to his 11-year-old daughter

There's nothing wrong with buying generic products instead of brand names.

A dad with $5 in his wallet

Even though parents may try to shield their children from tough topics such as economics and social status, they develop their own sense of them as they age. Studies show that children as young as 5 know the difference between being poor, middle-class or wealthy.

By age 11, children are fully conscious of brands and see them as the “dominant feature in their product categorization compared with other perceptual attributes.”

A father was recently embarrassed by his 11-year-old daughter at the supermarket when she called him out for buying generic products instead of brand names. He shared the story on Reddit’s Mildly Infuriating forum, where many commenters shared advice on teaching preteens about household economics.

Keep ReadingShow less
Albertsons

No child should have to worry about getting enough food to thrive.

True

When you’re a kid, summer means enjoying the fun of the season—plentiful sunshine, free time with friends, splashing in pools and sprinklers. But not every child’s summer is as carefree as it should be.

For some, summer means going hungry. According to Feeding America, food insecurity affects 1 in 8 children in the U.S., largely because families lose the free or reduced-price meals at school that help keep them fed during the school year.

But back-to-school time doesn’t make food insecurity disappear, either. Hunger is a year-round issue, and with the increased cost of groceries, it’s gotten harder for families who were already struggling to put food on the table.

So what can be done—or more specifically, what can the average person do—to help?

The good news is that one simple choice at the grocery store can help ease the burden a bit for those experiencing food insecurity. And the even better news is that it’s also a healthy choice for ourselves, our families and our planet. When we’re out on our regular shopping trips, we can simply look for the O Organics versions of things we would already buy.

But wait—aren’t we all feeling the pinch at the checkout stand? And isn’t organic food expensive? Here’s the thing: Organic food is often much more affordable than you might think. The cost difference between organic and non-organic products keeps narrowing, and many organic and non-organic foods are now almost identical in price. Sometimes you’ll even find that an organic product is actually cheaper than its brand-name non-organic counterpart.

Since 2005, O Organics has helped give health-conscious shoppers more options by making organic food more accessible and affordable. And now, it’s helping those same shoppers take action to fight food insecurity. For every O Organics product you purchase, the company will donate a meal to someone in need through the Albertsons Companies Foundation—for up to a total of 28 million meals.

Look for the O Organics label in every aisle.O Organics

Here’s what that means in real-world terms:

Say you’re throwing an end-of-summer backyard BBQ bash. If you were to buy O Organics ground beef, hamburger buns, ketchup and sea salt potato chips, you’d be donating four meals just by buying those four ingredients. If you added O Organics butter lettuce and O Organics sandwich slice pickles, you’d be donating two more meals, and so on.

And where are those meals going? Albertsons Companies Foundation works with a network of national and local charities fighting hunger, and regional divisions choose organizations to fund locally. So every O Organics product you purchase means a meal on the table for someone in your area who might not otherwise have the nourishment they need.

No kid should have to worry about getting enough food to thrive. We all make conscious choices each time we walk down a grocery store aisle, and by choosing

O Organics, we can make a difference in a child’s life while also making healthy choices for ourselves and our families. It’s truly a win-win.
Canva

“Sometimes, you need to change perspectives in order to gain new insights!”

“Sometimes, you need to change perspectives in order to gain new insights!” is not exactly a sentence one might expect to hear from a corporate exec, but it is a philosophy that led Jens Ritter, CEO of German company Lufthansa Airlines, to taking on a shift as a flight attendant.

In a post shared on LinkedIn, Ritter detailed his experience of working as additional cabin crew for a flight heading to Riyadh and Bahrain, taking care of passengers in business class.

Though Ritter’s previous career as a pilot gave him some insight into the challenges of working a flight, taking on the responsibilities of an attendant left him “astonished.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Joy

Cat decided a delivery driver was her new dad by clinging to his leg and refusing to let go

This is the Cat Distribution System at work, and it shall not be questioned.

A cat picks her new owner in the most unmistakable way.

If you've never heard of the Cat Distribution System, then you probably don't own a cat, or you do, but you acquired your cat in a normal, non-weird way. You know, like at an animal shelter or from some nice lady on social media who had a box of kittens. Some people do get cats that way, and it's one thousand percent a valid way to attain cat parent status.

But some lucky folks get cats through the Cat Distribution System (or CDS for short). Is this system real? The only people who know this are cats. They're also the ones that run the system, so the rules and the way in which you attain your purr machine may be a bit wonky. You may wake up with an unknown cat in your bed even though all of your windows are closed, or you just may be like this delivery driver.

The driver was out picking up orders when a cat came out of the CDS and jumped on the man's leg as he attempted to get back to his car. Thanks to his dash cam, you get to see CDS at work, and so did his mom. The video currently has over 2.8 million views on TikTok.

Keep ReadingShow less

Woman tells on neighbor for stealing ATV. Was she right?

Sometimes we see things happen that seem a little weird. Sometimes they go beyond weird and look suspicious, and then we are presented with the decision to do something about it or ignore it.

Mandi, a woman on TIkTok, found herself in a situation where she had to decide if she wanted to mind her own business or spill the beans when two and two started equaling four with her neighbors. In a video, she says she noticed her neighbor pulling a "side-by-side" into their backyard late at night. The situation seemed suspicious, so she checked her local Facebook page to see if anyone posted about something being stolen.

Her foray into detective work was short-lived because she quickly found a post from someone saying their ATV was stolen and they provided pictures. There was a small problem, though. The neighbors had covered the ATV they just pulled into their yard.

Keep ReadingShow less

Mom gives 'Toy Story' doll hearing aids to match her son's.

Representation is something you don't even think about if you've always had it, which can make the need for representation feel unnecessary to some. But kids look for themselves in their television shows, dolls and neighborhood, and seeing people who look like them or have other similarities is vital to their confidence and imagination.

Seeing themselves represented helps kids feel connected to the world around them, so many parents attempt to do whatever they can in order to provide their children with the representation they need. Mom Wendy Wuu took it upon herself to make sure her 5-year-old son saw a part of himself in his favorite doll, Woody, from "Toy Story."

In a video uploaded to social media, you can see the mom molding something clear and malleable into Woody's ear. Turns out this creative mom was using fingernail acrylic to mold the shape of the doll's inner ear...well as much of an inner ear as a doll can have.

Keep ReadingShow less

Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston

Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston have starred in three movies together, “Just Go with It” (2011), “Murder Mystery” (2019) and “Murder Mystery 2” (2023), and their chemistry is undeniable. They probably work so well together on screen because they’ve been friends in real life since they were in their 20s.

Aniston revealed their closeness in an anecdote she shared in WSJ Magazine. "Aniston, who does not have children and has spoken openly about her struggles with fertility treatment, says Sandler and his wife [Jackie Sandler] send her flowers every Mother's Day,” the profile’s author, Ellen Gamerman, writes.

Keep ReadingShow less